The Aftermath of the Invisibility Ray
by TheEmptiestOfElegies
Summary: Kowalski finally manages to tell Skipper the invisibility was his. Skipper wants to talk with him in confidence.  One-shot


"Skipper, that ray was-" Kowalski said, before getting cut off, once again, by Skipper.

"Blowhole's technology, I know, Kowalski," Skipper said, becoming annoyed. "Now drop the subject, already."

"That ray was mine!" Kowalski yelled, covering his beak quickly.

Skipper stopped in his tracks, and looked disbelievingly at the scientist. "That ray, was yours?" Skipper repeated. Kowalski looked at the ground, nodding slowly. "So you disobeyed my orders, Kowalski?"

"I'm sorry, Skipper!" Kowalski cried, looking at Skipper in anguish. "I couldn't help myself! Banning me from inventing is like banning me from eating. I just can't control myself, Skipper."

"You need to learn self-control," Skipper said, advancing angrily toward the penguin. "I told you NOT TO INVENT, and you completely disregarded my orders! WHY did you do that Kowalski? Have you no control over your actions at all?"

"Apparently not, Skipper," Kowalski replied quietly, staring at the ground again. "I'm sorry, okay?"

Skipper started pacing, "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"He tried, Skippah," Private said, stepping forward. "But every time he tried to tell you, you interrupted him. He tried to tell you that he had invented it."

"He told you?" Skipper asked. Private nodded. Skipper stared angrily at Kowalski, who stood trembling, expecting Skipper to strike him. Instead, Skipper said, in a very angry tone, "Kowalski, I'm very disappointed in you."

"I know," Kowalski said, his voice choked with emotion. "Can we just go home now?"

The penguins walked home in silence, Skipper glancing angrily at the scientist every once and a while. When they arrived back at the HQ, Kowalski threw himself in his bunk and covered his head with a pillow. "Kowalski, come here," Skipper called, sitting down at their table.

"Why?" Kowalski asked, voice muffled by his pillow.

"We need to talk," Skipper replied. Kowalski looked up at his leader and scowled.

"Didn't we already talk?"

"That was more me chastising you, Kowalski. Rico, Private, please go outside. I'll call you back in when we're done."

Rico and Private left immediately. Kowalski reluctantly climbed out of his bunk, sitting down as far away from Skipper as possible. Skipper sighed. "Kowalski, explain to me why you can't control what you do."

"Why?" Kowalski said fiercely. "Didn't we already go through this? You already know why: I have no self-control. Next question."

"Kowalski, drop the attitude," Skipper barked. "Why did you invent something to go on the streets, shooting at things and making everything invisible, anyway? Couldn't you have at least invented something that would HELP someone?"

"It wasn't supposed to go around New York, shooting randomly at things," Kowalski said bitterly. "Julien messed around with it, and it went out of control."

"Well, what if it had run over someone? It would've killed them. What then?" Skipper interrogated.

"It would've been my fault! I know, already! Skipper, can we please just forget about this and move on?" Kowalski said pleadingly.

"No, Kowalski, not yet. When Julien was tinkering with it, was it already invisible, or did he make it invisible?" Skipper questioned.

"Fred made it invisible," the scientist grumbled. "He fell on the control panel, and it fired. The beam bounced around in that mirror store across the street, and it hit the invisibility ray. It was shortly after when Julien messed with it."

"Ah, I see," Skipper said quietly. "When did Private find out about all this?"

Kowalski was silent for a moment before answering," He caught me building it. He woke up to get a drink and bumped into me, startling both me and him. He saw the invisibility ray before went out to test it. He was the one that convinced me to tell you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have told you at all."

Skipper smiled briefly. "Private convinced you, eh?"

Kowalski nodded, looking away. Skipper came over and sat by the scientist.

"You know that I'm still gonna have to ban you from inventing, right?" Skipper asked.

Kowalski nodded, still not making eye contact with the leader. "Must you remind me?" Kowalski mumbled.

"I'm only doing this for your own good, Kowalski," Skipper said gently. "I'm just trying to teach you self-control."

Kowalski wiped his eyes, looking up into Skipper's face. "I know. I'm really sorry, Skipper."

"I forgive you, soldier," Skipper smiled. "Let's call the other two down, before they think I murdered you or something."

Kowalski chuckled softly. "Right. And, Skipper?"

Skipper turned to the scientist. "What is it, soldier?" the leader asked.

Kowalski smiled, "Thank you for forgiving me."

Skipper also smiled.

"No problem, Kowalski. I'm forgiving just as much as you are, you know," he said. "Let's get the others now."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay! I know this story isn't the best, but I couldn't come up with anything else. BUT it is my first<strong>

**one-shot, and I did my best. I hope you like!**


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